S A L T ST MATTHEW S ANGLICAN CHURCH, CHELTENHAM PARISH NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2013 / JANUARY 2014 A WORD FROM OUR VICAR... The year has come to a close! No, not the civil year (quickly melting into the silly season) but the Church s year because we find ourselves with Advent on the go the period that leads to and prepares us for our celebration of Christ s coming. It was a year of change in civil and church life with the election of a new Archbishop of Canterbury and a new Bishop of Rome, in both cases people who would want to renew their denominations. In Australia we struggled to maintain dignity in Federal Parliament but after a period of intrigue were thrown into an election. Within our state we are often reminded of the journey (often a struggle) of people still coming to grips with Black Saturday whilst other disasters affect deeply small groups or individuals but are hardly remembered after a day or two of reporting. At St Matthew s and around the Friends of St Francis, we have received visits from Bishop Paul (and Archbishop Philip in our New Year featured in this edition of Salt!) and we have been able to offer a solution to the people of St Stephen s Highett seeking a sacred site for their Memorial Garden. We have with joy welcomed a number of new people to our congregation but with sadness have experienced the death of some regular members or the fact of some others moving to other areas and therefore for them new congregations. And none of us is getting any younger!! Yet in all this is constancy and hope the fact of the presence of Christ in our lives. The assurance of his love and the Means of Grace whereby the relationship is maintained and strengthened. All this in the mystery of the Incarnation, the fact of God in human flesh, born as one of us, living as one of us, tempted as one of us, yet without sin... So Christ s Mass, the baby, the manger; Christ s Mass, the baptism, the temptation; Christ s Mass, the teaching, the healing; Christ s Mass, the betrayal, the cross... for without the cross why have the birth? Fr Ron White Parish Priest WORSHIP ST MATTHEW S ANGLICAN CHURCH Corner Nepean Highway & Park Road, Cheltenham, VIC, 3192 Sundays 8am Eucharist with Hymns 1st Sunday of the month BCP service 10am Sung Eucharist 1st Sunday of the month Family service with Sunday School Wednesdays 10am Eucharist (not in January) FRIENDS OF ST FRANCIS Community of the Holy Name (CHN) 40 Cavanagh Street, Cheltenham, VIC, 3192 Phone: (03) 9583 2087 Sundays 9.30am in the Prayer Room at the Community CLERGY & STAFF Fr Ron White Parish Priest & Bayside Area Dean The Rev d Margot Poole Priest Associate Fr Andre Hassing Priest Associate Marlene Davies Organist / Musical Director Claire Johnston Parish Secretary WARDENS & VESTRY Sandra Cooper Vicar s Warden Lesley Boyd People s Warden Sandra Cooper Vestry Secretary Val Fielder, Megan Octigan, Sue Polites, Phil Whelan CONTACT DETAILS Parish Office 161 Park Road, Cheltenham, VIC, 3192 Hours: Wednesday to Friday, 9am to 4pm Phone: (03) 9583 2205 Fax: (03) 9583 9660 Email: stmatthewsanglicanchurch@bigpond.com Website: www.stmatthewscheltenham.org.au Page 1
ARCHBISHOP With Val guarding the West Door and others watching the blue door, the Archbishop couldn t sneak in undetected. And what a glorious day with sun and clear skies and the Choir (fully rehearsed) and the congregation waiting expectantly. Having arrived, he checked the Sanctuary having first met the Sanctuary Party and the Choir. He assembled his Crook, robed and we all processed to the West Door where the Choir began the Introit. At the Altar we prepared for the first lighting of the Advent Wreath with Rex and Aileen representing the congregation. Archbishop Philip presided at the Mass and preached (Jacaranda Mimmosifolia and Agapanthas included!) and towards the end of the service the Sanctuary Party moved into the Garden of Memory where the re-hallowing took place. Once back in the Church we received the children s Advent wreaths (made in Sunday School), thanked the Archbishop and Joy once again, congratulated Reg on the 36 th Anniversary of his Ordination as a Minister in the Uniting Church and sang the final hymn. Into the hall where the tables were once again the bearers of a late morning tea or early lunch (not quite Hogwarts standard but excellent in itself and plenty of it!). Archbishop and Joy mingled meeting as many as possible but during the chat they were brought centre stage and presented with a voucher to enable them to add to the garden of Bishopscourt or equipment for the same. It was an opportunity for Joy to invite those present to an Open House at Bishopscourt our home, your house on Thursday 12 th and Friday 13 th December from 10am to 4pm with a donation of $10, seniors $8. Thanks to the setting up and clearing up crew, all was spic and span by early afternoon so thanks to all who made this wonderful day possible. The Archbishop usually sends out an email each week called Out & About and in his most recent was the following: For Advent Sunday I went to St Matthew s Cheltenham, my first visit to the parish. The occasion marked the start of the new Church year and a ceremony of re hallowing the Garden of memory. Margot Poole and Andre Hassing assisted the vicar Ron White who was most welcoming and had set the theme of thanksgiving for those who had come and gone before and courage to go forward. Page 2
GAME, SET, MATCH It was wonderful to see the local Bayside Leader newspaper and discover that our very own Dorothy Gawthorne featured on the cover of the Tuesday 5 th November edition! The article told of Dorothy s love for the game of tennis and playing with the Highett Tennis Club Ladies Group. PARISH INFORMATION PARISH REGISTER Memorial Services 23rd October Ivy McEwan 20th November Arthur Finlay Funerals 28th November Margaret Irvine WE HAVE A WINNER! Our untitled Parish Cook Book now has a title! (Although the actual title will remain a secret until the book is ready!) The title was chosen by our Archdeacon Ray McInnes. He was given a list of 28 possible titles and after much consideration he came up with his favourite by Marilyn Simmons! Unfortunately due to the amount of work involved and the general work of the parish, the cook book has been delayed and will be available early next year. A big thank you to all who provided us with a wonderful variety of titles! Congratulations Marilyn, the prize will be presented to you shortly! MOTHERS UNION AWARDS During the 10am service on Sunday 27th October, Joy Venville, the Diocesan Mothers Unionn President, presented certificates and badges to member of our Mothers Union acknowledging years of Membership. Val Fielder 60 years Betty Youens 60 years The Rev d Margot Poole 50 years NOTABLE BIRTHDAYS THIS YEAR! Betty Bolton 90th Dorothy Gawthorne 90th Joan Cleghorn 90th Fr Andre 80th Dell Pay 80th Congratulations to all! Iris Hughes 30 years Roma Swallow 25 years (unable to be at the service) Val receiving her badge from Joy Joan and Dell celebrating their special birthdays at Mothers Union. Page 3
CHELTENHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL VISIT Standing room only! and what an expectant and excited congregation gathered for the Cheltenham Primary School Annual Christmas Service on Thursday 5th December at 9.30am.. All the children were in fine voice and were accompanied by the organ and violin. The preps were stunning as shepherds, angels, wise men and star bearers and dozens of parents and grandparents glowed with pride! The Acting Principal Mrs Clark read The Nativity whilst we viewed the illustration on the screen. Sarah and Carl, the school captains, read the passages from Luke and we heard once again the importance of giving and the positive feeling that can accompany it. Mrs Clark thanked Fr Ron for the use of the church and his hospitality and two senior students presented him with a card (see below) and gift of thanks. It is a wonderful time of remembering the reason for the season and we wish all who joined us a very v Happy and safe Christmas. Dear Father Ron, Please accept this gift as a gesture of our appreciation to you for your church service which has brought our whole school community together. We thank you for your hospitality and kindness and wish you all the best for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and fulfilling New Year. From the staff, students and parents at Cheltenham Primary School. Page 4
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EFFORT Tickets for our Christmas Special Effort are now available after the Sunday services! The draw will take place on Sunday 22 nd December after the Carol Service so start collecting your change and buy some tickets! Don t forget to tell family members, your neighbours, your friends and those at your various clubs about our Special Effort and encourage them to buy tickets as well! PARISH PENS Have you seen the brilliant array of our very own pens?? Very reasonably priced (only $4!) and a wonderful gift or an excellent way of introducing someone to the parish. You may like to purchase them for previous parishioners as a reminder that they are still in our prayers. (Don t forget one for you and some for the family!) Order forms available in the Narthex THE CHRISTMAS TREE The tradition of Christmas trees and Christmas Ornaments is a much disputed one. The most popular theory holds that the tradition was started by a monk who came to Germany in the 7th/8th century to preach. It is said that this monk was Saint Boniface, the Apostle of the Germans. According to history, the saint was the first one to bring a fir tree to the German people to decorate, for he claimed that its triangular shape represented the Holy Trinity - God, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The tradition was lapped up by the devout Germans who started decorating the Christmas tree in a liturgical way with simple, white candles. This however, changed in the 15th century when ornaments began to be incorporated into the Christmas decorations in Germany. In Latvia, circa 1510, a fir tree was decorated with roses which was associated with the Virgin Mary. This event is often hailed as the pioneer of modern Christmas decorations. In 1605 a tree in Strasbourg (a city on the Rhine in eastern France near the German border) was brought indoors and adorned with paper roses, lighted candles, wafers, nuts, and sweets. This is said to be a groundbreaking moment in the history of Christmas decorations for it kicked off a new trend, adornment of the Christmas tree in an indoor setting. With time, the decorative ornaments grew more diverse and each family used its own inventiveness to beautify the Christmas trees. Later decorations included painted eggshells, biscuits, and candies. The high point came with the introduction of tinsel in 1610, an item that has been a favourite decoration since. Tinsel was originally made with pure silver. Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria made Christmas trees fashionable by decorating the first English Christmas tree at Windsor castle with candles and a variety of sweets, fruits and gingerbread in 1841. Of course, soon other wealthy English families followed suit, using all kinds of extravagant items as decorations. TO THINK ABOUT God, who prepared for the coming of Jesus, for his life and death on earth, and for his Church to carry out his work after his ascension, help me this Advent to remember how Jesus was born on Christmas Day, and to make my heart ready for him. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus; There is room in my heart for thee. Light looked down and beheld Darkness. Thither will I go, said Light. Peace looked down and beheld War. Thither will I go, said Peace. Love looked down and beheld Hatred. Thither will I go, said Love. So came Light and shone. So came Peace and gave rest. So came Love and brought Life. And the Word* was made Flesh, and dwelt among us. * This is the way St John describes the birth of Jesus. Page 5
CHRISTMAS AT ST MATTHEW S Are you sick of the commercialism? And all the rush and bother of getting everything ready for Christmas? Leave that aside and come into a more peaceful atmosphere where we can sing the traditional carols and listen to the story of Christmas. Christmas carols and Christmas services are a joy for all regulars regulars but can also be that special occasion when you can invite those who don t usually go to church. Our Carol service is an opportunity to join in singing traditional carols, hear the choir perform and to listen to the readings. Our Children s Crib Service is when people with families can best attend a Christmas celebration. We sing Christmas carols that the children may know and the children are engaged in fun activities and after the short service we all gather in the Hall for a sausage sizzle. On Christmas Eve you may like to rediscover the mystery and awe of Christmas by attending our Carols by Candlelight. It is also an excellent opportunity to invite other family members, friends and neighbours and so before you even know it you are actually a part of telling the Christmas story. If the Midnight service is not suitable for children or if they are already asleep and waiting wa for Santa, you may like to bring them on Christmas morning where where in the context of the Communion service, there will be a children s talk and each child will receive a gift. Page 6
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JANUARY AND NOW FOR NEXT YEAR... Just a reminder that in January there will be no Wednesday or weekday services, morning tea after the 10am Mass on Sunday or our first Sunday of the month BBQ. MERRRY CHRISTMAS! MERRY CHRISTMAS! The clergy and staff of St Matthew s wish you all a happy and holy Christmas and a great start to the New Year. May this holy day season be a safe time for you all. Thank you for all your cards and greetings. Wednesday 5 th Mar Tuesday 25 th Mar Sunday 30 th Mar Sunday 13 th Apr Friday 18 th Apr Sunday 20 th Apr Ash Wednesday Annunciation Mothering Sunday Palm Sunday Good Friday Easter Day CALENDAR OF EVENTS DECEMBER 1st Sunday Services First Sunday of Advent Rededication of the Garden of Memory & Visit of Archbishop Philip Freier 10am Mass followed by a special morning tea 4th Weekday Service Frances Perry 10am Eucharist 8th Sunday Services Second Sunday of Advent Healing service will follow the 10am Mass 11th Weekday Service 10am Eucharist 15th Sunday Services Third Sunday of Advent 18th Weekday Service 10am Eucharist 22nd Sunday Services Fourth Sunday of Advent 7pm Carol Service followed by refreshments 24th Christmas Eve 5.30pm Children s Crib Service followed by sausage sizzle 11pm Carols by Candlelight 11.30pm Midnight Mass followed by refreshments 25th Christmas Day 9am Christmas Holy Communionn DECEMBER 26th Weekday Service Stephen, Deacon & Martyr 10am Mass 27th Weekday Service John, Apostle & Evangelist 10am Mass 28th Weekend Service Holy Innocents 10am Mass 29th Sunday Services First Sunday after Christmas Morning tea follows the 10am Mass on Sundays JANUARY 5th Sunday Services Naming & Circumcision of Jesus 8am BCP & 10am Mass 12th Sunday Services Baptism of our Lord 19th Sunday Services Second Sunday after Epiphany 26th Sunday Service Third Sunday after Epiphany Please note morning tea is not held in January. Page 8